The American Chemical Society has a program that reviews and accredits degree programs in Chemistry and Chemical Education at Colleges and Universities in the United States. The BGSU Chemistry program is fully accredited.
ACS Certified Degrees
The ACS Certification program refers to the certification of students who have completed a sound chemical education at an ACS Accredited college of university. The ACS sets minimum requirements for such a program. These programs of study are designed for the education of chemistry professionals and they provide an excellent preparation for employment as a professional chemist or for admission to graduate study in chemistry and related areas.
The ACS also recognizes several areas of specialization for which a somewhat different program of study may be more appropriate. Departments may offer programs that lead to ACS certification in one or more of these areas:
For some students the full ACS program may not be appropriate. For example, students who plan to enter medical school have more need for additional courses in Biology than for the full complement of upper level chemistry courses. Other students may, for one reason or another, fall slightly short of one of the ACS requirements. The department's non-ACS bachelor's degree in Chemistry is the appropriate degree designation.
At BGSU the non-ACS degree should be thought of as a minimum set of requirements for a chemistry degree. Each student in this program should be taking additional courses in chemistry and related fields to provide a sound basis for future schooling or for a strong position when seeking employment in chemistry.
Degrees for Chemistry Teachers
The requirements for teachers are quite different. If you are considering a career in science teaching at the high school, middle school or elementary school level you should check with advisors in the College of Education. There is a specific degree program for students wishing to teach high school chemistry.
Careers in College or University teaching generally require a Doctoral Degree in Chemistry. There are several doctoral programs in Chemical Education, although most faculty come from traditional Chemistry programs. The ASC degree is the best preparation for that career choice.
ACS vs. non-ACS Degrees
"The ACS Certified" designation is a convenient and well recognized label on your academic transcript. It may provide you with a slight edge in seeking a good entry level job in chemistry or admission to graduate study. The "certified" label is not, however, a critical factor. The courses you take, your grades in those courses and your experiences beyond the classroom are the factors that count the most. At the present time most programs certify about 35-60% of their graduates.
Waivers
The department academic advisor may recommend that specific requirements be waived, both for the university degree requirements and for ACS certification. Such waivers typically involve permitting the substitution of other advanced level course or counting related experience (such as a summer job or research) as part of the required laboratory experiences. Any such waivers should be discussed with your advisor well in advance of graduation and requests are made through your academic advisor. Students transferring to Bowling Green often have credits that do not mesh exactly with BGSU's requirements and such difficulties may be dealt with on an individual basis. You can not count on such waivers until the College Office has formally notified you of approval.
Check Lists for each of the Chemistry Degrees
The check List contains all of the requirements for graduation. This is the sheet you use to complete a junior audit. You can download and print these lists or get a copy from your advisor, the department office or the College of Arts and Science.
(Consult the degree check lists abovefor all graduation requirements.)
The American Chemical Society guidelines are designed to provide a solid background in the major areas of chemistry as well as extensive laboratory knowledge. There are also specific requirements in cognate field: mathematics, physics and biology.
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